Tool aligning and guiding device



Jan. 4, 1944. 'J, OGNIBENE ET AL 2,

TOOL ALIGNING AND GUIDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 11, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. \/4M6 OG/V/6E/VE Jan. 4, 1944. J. OGNIBENE ET AL TOOL ALIGNING AN D GUIDING DEV'IGE Filed Aug. 11, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOOL ALIGNING AND GUIDING DEVICE Application August 11, 1942, Serial No. i54,386

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tool aligning devices for accurately guiding a drill, reamer, or other like tool relative to a piece of work to be worked upon.

We are familiar with the construction and operation of a tool known under the term jig bore which is employed for use in accurately aligning a boring tool with a piece of work, but such tool is cumbersome, complicated, and expensive so as to be out of financial reach of the small machinist or machine shop. It is therefore, the principal objects of this invention to provide a tool aligning and guiding device which is simple and inexpensive of construction, portable in use, and easy and accurate of adjustment.

Another feature of the invention resides in a tool guiding device having interchangeable guide bushings to accommodate tools of different diameters.

Other novel features of the invention will become apparent as the following specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the tool aligning and guiding device with parts broken away in section.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view, the work holder being shown in dot and dash lines.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure '2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is a collective perspective view of the removable tool guide bushing and its locking pin.

While the device now to be discribed is adaptable for uses hereinbefore mentioned, we wish it to be understood that the same is not limited thereto, for it has other uses such as laying out drill jigs, and for what may be termed nuisance Work.

Referring to the drawings by reference char.- acters, the numeral l designates the tool aligning and guiding device in its entirety which includes a flat rectangular base I I having a stepped guideway l2 in the top thereof and which extends the length of the base. The lower step portion of the guideway has its opposed sides beveled inwardly as at Iii-l3. slidable in the guideway l2 lengthwise thereof is a flat work holder support I4, the top of which is flush with the top of the base H. The support M has opposed beveled longitudinal side portions [-15 disposed in sliding contact with the beveled surfaces i3l3. The support I4 is of a length approximating the length of the base II and is slidable beyond the front and rear ends thereof to minutely calculated distances by means presently to be described. The top face of the support I4 is provided with suitably spaced parallel inverted T- shaped slots li-l5, which slots extend lengthwise for the full length of the support to receive the heads of the bolts of a work holder A shown in dot and dash lines in Figures 2 and 3. Graduations ll indicative of inches are provided on a scale plate l8 which is set in the top surface of the base ll adjacent the left side wall of the guideway l2. A Vernier scale plate I9 is provided on the top face of the slide support [4 along that edge disposed adjacent the scale plate l8. The Vernier scale plate I9 is provided with Vernier graduations for cooperative reading with the graduations on the scale plate l8 for accurately obtaining the slide adjustment of the support I4 relative to the base H. Transversely aligned bosses 2il20 are provided on the base ll adjacent the rear thereof and which bosses extend beyond the plane of the opposed longitudinal sides of the base. Transversely aligned pillars 2I-2I have their lower ends respectively secured in the bosses 2ii2il respectively, while their remaining portions rise upwardly therefrom. The rearwardly facing sides of the pillars 2l-2l are provided with horizontally disposed rack teeth 22.

The slidable work support i is provided with centrally aligned downwardly extending front and rear bearings 23 and 24 respectively, which are slidable into a semi-circular shaped longitudinal recess 25 provided in the base H. The bearings 23 and 25 respectively rotatably sup port the front and rear ends of a screw shaft 25. The front end of the screw shaft 25 is provided with a threaded portion 27 and a reduced shank 23. A transverse coupling pin 29 is provided on the shank 28 adjacent its free end. Splined to the screw shaft 26 as at 2'! adjacent the threaded portion 21 is a micrometer member 1-59 which is provided with a knurled manipulating portion 35 and with an annular bevel surface 32 containing an annular series of graduations 33 which are adapted to align with a pointer 3% provided on the bevel surface 35 formed on the front bearing 23. After the screw shaft 2% has been turned to effect an approximate adjustment of the support l4, further minute Vernier adjustment may be obtained by manually grasping the knurled portion 3i and turning the micrometer member Si}, which imparts a turning movement to the screw shaft. A jamb nut 35 having a knurled surface is threaded to the threaded portion 2'! and when threaded against the member 39, the said member is jammed against the bearing 23 and the screw shaft held against accidental turning. To impart a turning movement to the member 39, the jamb nut 36 must be loosened from its iambing position relative to the said member. The rear end of the screw shaft 25 is threaded as at 31 to which a pair of jamb nuts 3t-38 are threaded. The jamb nuts Ba -38 remain undisturbed during the adjusting manipulations of the screw shaft.

The screw shaft 26 threads through a nut member 39 which is disposed in the recessed portion 25 centrally between its ends. The nut member 39 is secured to the base H by bolts it.

To effect an initial sliding adjustment to the screw shaft 26, a removable handle member 4! is tted upon the shank 28. The handle member 4| includes a socket 422, the walls of which are provided with opposed slots 43 extending inwardly from the open end of the socket and which respectively receive the extending ends of the coupling pin 255 when the socket is inserted over the shank. Fixedly attached to the outer end of the socket 42 is a double crank manipulating handle 4'4. The handle member ll is applied to the shank 28 when the screw shaft is to be turned to effect an initial adjustment of the screw shaft, after which it is removed therefrom.

Slidably associated with the pillars 2 i--2l is a horizontally disposed frame member 35. The frame member 45 includes a transverse bridge portion 45 having an elongated slot ll therein, and split end bearings 4848 through which the pillars 2l-2| extend. Each bearing 48 is provided with a split bushing 49 and with a pair of spaced rearwardly extending resilient ears 55-59. The ears 505ii are drawn toward each other to lock the bearings 48-43 to the pillars 2!2| after the frame has been raised or lowered to the desired adjusted position relative to the work carried by the slidable work support I4. Associated with each pair of ears i5} is a shaft 5| threaded at one end. The threaded end of the shaft is threaded to one of the ears and the other end freely passes through the other of the ears and has a head 52 fixed thereto for bearing engagement with the unthreaded ear. A handle 53 is fixed to the head 52 and extends at right angle to the axis of the shaft 5!. By turning the" handles 53' to unscrew the shafts 5 t, the tension on the split bearings 4t i8 is relieved, whereupon the frame is free to slide up and down upon the pillars 2!-2| to effect an adjustment, after which the handles are turned in a reverse direction to draw the ears toward each other and tighten the bearings 48 about the pillars 2i.

Sliding movement is imparted to the frame -35 by gears 56-55 which respectively mesh with the rack teeth- 22-22 on the pillars Zl-Zi. The gears 5-4-54 are fixed to a transverse shaft 55 having its ends respectively .iournaled in the ears $53 of the bearings dS-- !-8. One end of the shaft 55 is screw threaded as at 56 and threadedly receives a pair of jamb nuts 5?. The other end of the shaft 55 has a manipulating knob 58 fixed thereto. When the clamping tension on the split bearings iii-55 is released, the frame 45 may be accurately adjusted to the desired horizontal level by imparting a manual turning movement to the knob 55, whereupon the gears 5454 will ride over the rack teeth 22 and impart a vertical sliding movement to the frame.

Formed integral with'the front sides of the split bearings 48-48 are transversely opposed forwardly extending bearing ears 59-59 in which a transverse screw shaft 69 is journaled. J amb' nuts 5! are threaded to the left end of the shaft while a double crank handle 62 is fixed to the right end thereof. Fixed to the shaft 5i] and disposed intermediate the handle 62 and the adjacent bearing ear 59 is a vernier micrometer member 63 having a knurled manipulating portion 54 and a beveled portion 55 having an annular series of graduations thereon for register with a pointer 55 provided on a beveled surface 57 of the bearing ear 59. Initial rotation is imparted to the screw shaft 69 by manual turning of the handle 52, and final vernier movement thereof is obtained by the manual turning of the micrometer member 63 by grasping the knurled manipulating portion 64 thereof.

Rotation of the screw shaft 65 imparts a transverse sliding movement to a carriage 68 which includes a block-like body 69 having a transverse threaded bore 10 therein which has threading engagement with the screw shaft 69. Formed integral with the body 69 and extending rearwardly therefrom is an ear H which slidably extends into a transverse channel 12 provided in the bridge bar 46 and which opens on the front side thereof. The slot 41 is provided in the top wall of the channel 12 for the free passage of the threaded shank 13 of a clamping bolt 1d. The threaded portion of the shank 13 threads into a threaded hole in the ear 1|. When the bolt M is screwed inwardly to its limit, it serves to secure the carriage 68 in a position of transverse adjustment relative to the work support Id. The top front edge of the bridge bar 55 is straight and has a scale plate 15 set therein and which is graduated in inches. The adjacent top straight edge of the body 59 of the carriage 58 has a vernier scale plate 16 set therein and which is cooperative with the graduations on the scale plate 15 for obtaining vernier readings of the transverse adjustment of the carriage 58. By loosening the bolt M, the carriage 53 is free to slide in a transverse direction upon rotation of the screw shaft 60, and when the proper adjustment is reached, the bolt M is tightened to secure the carriage against accidental sliding movement.

The body 59 of the carriage has a forwardly stepped down portion 1'! in which a vertical round hole '59 is provided and which is lined with a collar 79. A tool guide bushing member 55 is removably inserted into the lined hole, said member being of an external diameter to snugly fit into the hole and being of aninternal diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the drill, rearner or other tool to be guided thereby. The bushing 35 has an annular flange 8| at its top which seats in a countersink or recess 82 provided in the top of the portion 11. The edge of the flange Si is provided with a round notch 33 which is in radial alignment with a vertical hole 34 in the portion 17 into which a locking pin 55 is inserted. The top of the pin has a head 85 which is complementary in shape to that of the notch 83 into which it extends. The interfitting of the head 85 and notch 83 prevents accidental rotation of the guide bushing 85 relative to the portion ll of the carriage. The pin 85 extends below the underside of the carriage so that it may be pushed up to facilitate its removal when substituting one size guide bushing 80 for another. A set of different internal diameter guide bushings will constitute part of the complete device, to facilitate interchanging to accommodate drilling and other tools of different cross sectional diameters.

The features and operation of the device I is obvious from the foregoing description when read upon the drawings. The work to be drilled, reamed or otherwise worked upon is placed upon the slide work support I 4; the frame 45 is vertically adjusted to the proper horizontal level relative to the work by actuating the knob 58, after release of the tension on the split bearings 4848 and subsequent tensioning of the same; after which the screw shaft 26 is turned initially by the handle 44 and subsequent by the turning of the micrometer member 3%] to position the work relative to the guide carriage 68. The guide carriage 53 is transversely adjusted by loosening the bolt l4 and imparting turning movement to the screw shaft (it, initially by manual turning of the handle 62 and final minute turning of the micrometer member 63. These compound adjustments are utilized for vertical aligning the aXis of the guide bushing 80 with respect to the exact point on a piece of work that a hole is to be drilled or reamed. When the guide bushing 80 is accurately aligned with the piece of work, the drill or reamer is inserted down through the bore of the guide bushing 89 and thence brought into contact with the work. The bushing member 88 in addition to aligning the tool with the work, also guides the tool during its operation upon the piece of work.

The device is relatively light in weight so as to be portable from bench to boring, drilling, and reaming machines.

While we have shown and described what we consider to be the preferred embodiment of our invention, we wish it to be understood that such changes in construction and design as come within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to if desired without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a device of the class described, an elongated base adapted to support a piece of work, a pair of spaced transversely aligned pillars secured to said base and rising upwardly therefrom, an elongated frame member having an elongated slot therein, aligned bearings at the ends of the frame member through which the respective pillars extend for slidably mounting the frame member upon the pillars for vertical adjustable movement, releasable means for securing the frame member in various adjusted positions above the base, a carriage member slidably mounted on said frame member for transverse adjustment relative to said base, said carriage having a transverse threaded bore, a screw shaft having threaded engagement with the threaded bore, transversely aligned bearings on the frame member in which the screw shaft is swivelly mounted, a crank handle fixed to the screw shaft to facilitate manual turning movement thereof to effect a transverse adjustment of the carriage, a wing-head bolt passing through the elongated slot and threaded to the carriage for locking the carriage to the frame member to prevent accidental sliding movement thereof after an adjustment of the carriage has been effected, and a tool aligning and guide member carried by said carriage.

2. A device of the class described comprising a rectangular base having a slideway therein extending lengthwise thereof, a work support slidably mounted in said slideway, manually operated means for imparting sliding movement to said work support to effect an adjustment thereof, a pair of transversely aligned pillars rising from said base, an elongated frame member having its ends slidably mounted on the respective pillars for vertical adjustment above the work support, releasable clamping means carried by the respective ends of the frame member for securing the frame member in an adjusted position upon the pillars, said means including resilient split bearings provided on the frame member through which the pillars respectively extend, means associated with each spit bearing for contracting the same into clamping engagement with its related pillar, a carriage slidably mounted on said frame member for transverse movement, manually operated means for imparting sliding movement to said carriage, and a tool aligning and guide member carried by said carriage.

3. In a device of the class described, a fiat elongated base adapted to support a piece of work, a pair of spaced transversely aligned pillars secured to said base and rising upwardly therefrom, an elongated frame member provided with transversely aligned resilient split bearings at the ends thereof through which the pillars respectively pass, each of said split bearings having spaced ears, a screw freely passin through one of said ears and being threaded into the other of said ears, whereby tightening of the screws will cause contraction of the split bearings to clamp the same upon the pillars to support the frame member in a vertical adjusted position above said base, rack teeth provided on said pillars, a horizontal shaft journaled in the ears of the split bearings, gears fixed to said shaft in meshing engagement with said rack teeth, and a manipulating knob fixed to one end of said shaft, whereby turning movement may be imparted to said shaft to cause the frame member to freely slide up or down on said pillars upon the loosening of the screws to release the clamping action upon the split bearings.

JAMES OGNIBENE. LOUIS RICCI. 

